Diplomacy
Singapore rebukes US embassy’s South China Sea video as China slams ‘provocation’
Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rejected actions by foreign embassies that seek to provoke domestic responses on global disputes, following a US embassy video criticising China’s South China Sea claims, which sparked a strong rebuttal from China’s embassy in Singapore.
SINGAPORE: Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) issued a statement on 21 May 2025 rejecting attempts by foreign embassies to provoke domestic sentiment over international disputes involving third countries.
The ministry stated that complex geopolitical issues are best handled through appropriate diplomatic channels.
The comments came in response to a video published by the United States embassy in Singapore on 20 May.
The video criticised China’s stance on the South China Sea and attempted to illustrate its argument using analogies familiar to the Singaporean public.
The US embassy compared China’s claims in the South China Sea to an inconsiderate neighbour in a Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat claiming communal corridors and lift landings.
It also likened the United Nations’ International Court of Justice to local town councils, portraying China as ignoring lawful rulings.
“China says it ‘owns’ nearly the entire South China Sea. International law says otherwise,” the US embassy wrote in the accompanying Facebook post.
It referenced a 2016 ruling by an international arbitral tribunal in The Hague, which declared that Beijing’s claims over most of the South China Sea had no legal basis.
The post argued that China continues military construction, patrols, and coercive actions in defiance of this ruling.
In a sharp response on 21 May, the Chinese embassy in Singapore accused the US embassy of “deliberately distorts the ins and outs” of the dispute.
The Chinese embassy criticised the US for projecting itself as an authority on international law while “habitually withdrawing from international conventions and organizations.”
It accused the US of double standards, citing its actions in imposing tariffs, its historical comments on controlling territories such as the Panama Canal and Greenland, and its recent regional military deployments.
“What the US has done is a body blow to the existing international order and rules,” said the Chinese embassy, which asserted that the US is “the least qualified” to speak on matters of international law.
The embassy also criticised the US for not being a party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, stating that it was in no position to lecture others on its implementation.
The post further alleged that the US has deployed intermediate-range missile systems in the region, describing these actions as “the most destructive force to peace in the South China Sea.”
“We urge the US to stop being a hypocritical preacher and provocateur, and refrain from stirring up more troubles for peace and stability in the region,” the Chinese embassy concluded in its statement.
